Science Fiction opens the mind to more than just fantastic concepts about technology and alien planets. At its best, it also makes you realize that there's more than you could be doing with your life than sitting at your desk and wasting time on the internet. That's where we come in, with the SF Alternative Career Guide. It's a chaotic universe out there, and where there's chaos, there's the need for order... the kind of order that you, yes you, can provide if you dare to step up and sign up to become... a space cop.

Intergalactic law-enforcement isn't an easy career, but it is a noble one: Since the early days of space exploration, after all, man has dreamt of flying to the stars... and arresting them. Even this year, the need for intergalactic law enforcement has been discussed by groups like the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety.

But why does it even need to be discussed? We've long seen the value of space cops in shows like BBC's 1987 Star Cops, where the moon colonies of the year 2027 - Only nineteen years away! - were protected by tough men and soft rock:

Admittedly, 2027 was a quiet year for the space police - You had to wait another thirteen years for things to get more exciting:

(The above is from 1995's Space Precinct, surely sign that Gerry Anderson should've retired after Terrahawks.)

You don't have to wait for the future before becoming a space cop, however; why not follow the example of Hal Jordan and be summoned to the role after being present at the death of an alien officer? Alternatively, you could always build your own task force: